Of a King's Desires (Afternoon Glow Series)
by RoNask
Summary: Bedelia watches Hannibal closely, she learns about his desires.


" _(...)_

 _So take it easy on me I'm afraid you're never satisfied_

 _Here we go again_

 _We're sick like animals we play pretend_

 _You're just a cannibal and I'm afraid I won't get out alive_

 _No I won't sleep tonight._

 _Oh, oh I want some more Oh, oh What are you waitin' for?_

 _Take a bite of my heart tonight._

 _Oh oh I want some more Oh oh What are we waitin' for?_

 _What are we waitin' for?_

 _Say goodbye to my heart tonight. (...)"_ **\- Animal - Chase Holfelder (Neon Trees cover)**

 **xxx**

Usually Bedelia could easily point out when her life took such a dramatic turn. This time she wasn't so sure. However, whenever it happened recently, Hannibal Lecter was always involved. And she believed it would stay that way. There was no possible way that she would survive the cannibal inside. As much she hated to admit, she knew she would die by his hands.

The most recent change he made on her life affected her afternoons.

 **xxx**

Dr. Du Maurier was usually one to stay at home, but not when it came to her Florence home. She happened to be always out, always shopping, drinking, there seemed to be always something to do. She would get home around the time Hannibal was coming back too, so as the evening approached, dinner was getting ready and she was on her bath or was with Hannibal, trying to find out more about that grotesque brain of his and wondering how many more days she had on her life spam.

There were the quiet afternoons, however, when they had dinner a bit earlier and she went to her bath and had Lecter washing her hair. She could almost feel like a richman's spoiled wife, not the cannibal's fake wife. These days were particularly interesting, he seemed to be on a softer mood, he used to talk Dante on such days and they could discuss anything and almost look like a pair of good psychiatrists having some nice colleagues talk.

And then there was the afternoons when he disappeared on thin air, left her wondering in what kind of trouble he could have gotten them into. When he came back she was almost always drunk or asleep, a gun always with her, always ready for the worst.

In one of those disappearing acts, when he came back, she was asleep. Hannibal walked silently through the flat, started to undress when he found her sleeping on the couch, she wore a silky nightgown, red as blood. A color he had always loved on her skin.

Gently he caressed all the way from her shoulders to her hairline behind her ear, taking a golden curl away from her neck. He smiled at her beauty, what a shame to have to kill such a beautiful creature.

He had been out all day, hunting, searching, learning. There was another gorgeous creature for whom he longed the pleasure of touching. He had been making sure she was making progress. His little _Angel of Death_ , as the Tattler called his little Starling.

Hannibal licked his lips, watched Bedelia's sleeping form, once he caught her in his arms and she didn't have much response he knew she had been drinking. A sober Bedelia would wake up ready to fight an assailant. He laid her on their bed gently, caressed her for a while, wondering if she had eaten anything.

For some reason, both Clarice and Bedelia seemed not be exactly the most responsible beings when it came to proper eating, even though Du Maurier was one to like expensive food, she was always more focused on her expensive wine and whisky. While Clarice would skip meals when working too much, which seemed to happen with an unhealthy frequency.

Lecter sighed, taking a moment to undress, before he went to the kitchen, ready to prepare some proper meal for him and his "wife".

 **xxx**

In all her honesty, Bedelia knew she was afraid and fascinated for Clarice Starling, maybe even envious of the girl's courage.

As an FBI agent, Starling was dedicated. As a person, the girl should be behind the plexiglass Hannibal was when they met.

One talk with her and Du Maurier was sure Lecter would be intrigued by such a wild creature. A cub sent to the lion. Bedelia suddenly found herself out of the spotlight, just like Will Graham.

A smirk appeared on her lips, Will Graham would be panicked once he got to know FBI's _Angel of Death_.

 _Hannibal, the Cannibal_ and the _Angel of Death_ working together, what a interesting idea that would be. Clearly there was no logical reason for Jack Crawford to be the head of the Behavior Science Department, after all, he needed help on his profiling cases and ended up seeking help on the academy, help of a rookie. A sacrificial lamb to Hannibal, who he would delightfully turn into something better.

As fascinating as it could be, she was a bit jealous.

 **xxx**

"Boticelli. What an interesting choice."

Starling looked around to find the source of the voice, Bedelia was walking towards her on a long red dress, a strapless one with gorgeous golden details on its front, starting from the woman's hip to her breasts. Du Maurier's golden hair was up in beautiful hairstyle. The older woman felt like one to belong on rich families and on a place like Europe.

Clarice's dress was of a dark blue, a single strapped one, long like Bedelia's, her hair was up, but she had some curls down, making her look like a kind angel.

A queen and an angel. Red and blue.

It seemed like they belong in different categories, in different circles. And they surely did, except for one thing that kept them together…

Hannibal Lecter entered the room with his expensive suits and tuxedo catching everyone's attention. He looked as expensive as Bedelia, but his small smile and maroon eyes were focused on Clarice. He stopped and watched them carefully, his smile growing.

"It's always a pleasure to have such beautiful women to keep me company. Shall we, ladies? The Opera starts in fifteen minutes." he said calm, before looking into Starling's eyes. "I hope you don't mind, my dear. We can pay Mr. Boticelli a visit later, if you'd like to see _Primavera_ again."

"That would be good, thank you, Hannibal." said Starling with a smile.

It hadn't been long since they fled the States after an interesting dinner with Paul Krendler and picking up Bedelia.

Du Maurier saw the electricity and noticed that Starling had let go of the "Doctor" calling. Besides that, to say that they were sleeping together was speculation. The pair had chemistry, but so did Bedelia and Clarice, the two of them surely could make sparks fly.

In another lifetime, maybe, they would have hated each other. On this one, curiosity won.

A bit of curiosity and some luck took Bedelia to Paris, to watch the Opera with Hannibal and his chosen mate. Probably the last people who would see her alive.

 **xxx**

It was surely an act of courage and stupidity, she liked to consider it more of the first though.

Kissing Clarice Starling was good, interesting experience. Hannibal and his wife were two different kinds of intense response. Masculine and feminine, two different energies.

Starling would never mention, unless asked. There was no point on mentioning the kiss. She could blame blunt curiosity, so could Bedelia, Hannibal would growl and would claim his bride furiously, make her ache to be his and only his.

On setting Clarice free, Hannibal trapped himself.

Bedelia was satisfied with the arrangement, unlike with Will Graham, the outcome that the union of Clarice and Lecter would be harmonious, probably would prevent more deaths than it would cause.

On her wildest thoughts, Du Maurier dared to call it "love", it surely was the closest to it that Hannibal had gotten since his sister's murder and his aunt's rejection.

On that afternoon they went to the Opera, on that night Clarice was a sweet prey to two snakes. Bedelia took his change before it was too late, her time was running out and Hannibal surely wouldn't share his bride again.

Never again.


End file.
